Planetary unit



March 27, 1951 Filed Oct. 15, 1946 c. SNYDER 2,546,173

PLANETARY UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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ATTD RN EYE March 27, 1951 c, SNYDER 2,546,173

PLANETARY UNIT Filed Oct. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

ATTD RN EYS Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLANETARY UNIT Charles Snyder, East Orange, N. J.

Application October 15, 1946, Serial No. 703,308

This invention relates to transmission devices for motor vehicles, and more particularly to improvements in fluid transmission devices for use in the rear of a vehicle.

It is an object of the invention to provide a rear axle unit by means of which a great many different speeds can be attained.

A further object is the provision of a fluid drive rear axle transmission unit which has the same construction on each side, so that if one side should break down the other side will work just as well.

A further object is to provide a fluid transmission device for the rear axle unit of an automobile, which device is relatively simple in structure, and easily adapted for use on various types of automobiles.

These and other objects are attained by the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which:

Fig. l is a side view of the device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view taken on the line 2-2'of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 7 is a side view of a grooved drum and gears used in the device.

Fig. 8 is an internal view of a grooved shield adapted to cooperate with the drum.

Referring to the drawings, the device is shown to comprise a ring gear I which is in mesh with the cone gear of a common type of automobile drive shaft. The ring gear I is mounted for free rotation on a tubular shaft 2, which is mounted on the driven shafts 3. The ring gear I has two internal gears 4 which mesh with gears 5, attached to countershafts 6, passing through drums I and having fixed thereto small gears 8.

The structure above described is enclosed in a casing 9 to which oil is introduced through an opening I0. (See Fig. 4.)

The small gears 8 are in mesh with an internal gear I I which is keyed t0 the shaft 3.

It is to be understood that both sides of the device are of the same structure, and consequently, it is believed necessary to describe only one side in detail.

4 Claims. (Cl. 74-711) The drum I is freely rotatable on the shaft 2 and has a plurality of grooves I2 cut into its surface and pitching one way. A shield I3 surrounds the drum I with a small clearance approximately of the order of 3 2' and is provided with a plurality of grooves l4 pitching in an opposite direction. Thus as the rotation of ring gear I increases oil is carried through the grooves causing the drum 1 and shield I3 to exert a drag on each other and propel evenly with the ring gear I as one unit, in forward direction, in high gear, until the resistance from the driven members slows up drum I, causing less speed to the driven members. The shield I3 is connected to the ring gear I. As the resistance becomes less, the drum I will catch up with the ring gear, which is driven by the engine shaft and rotates in a body.

The shield l3 and the drum I control all different speeds and torques. The small clearance between shield I3 and drum 1, and the lubricant acting between them causes a frictional drag between the two tending to cause them to rotate together.

It will be seen that there has been presented a rear axle transmission unit using a fluid medium which enables a great many speeds depending upon the grade and condition of the road, the unit being able to deliver a thousand to one ratio from zero up.

The above description is to be considered as illustrative and not limitative of the invention of which modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention. having been described, what is claimed is:

1. In a transmission device, a casing containing a fluid, a ring gear having an internal gear, a plurality of gears engaging the internal gear, counter shafts to which said gears are attached, a cylindrical .drum through which the countershafts pass, a shaft upon which the ring gear and drum are rotatably mounted, smaller gears attached to the countershafts, a driven shaft, a second internal gear keyed to the driven shaft and in mesh with the smaller gears, and a cylindrical shield fixed to the ring, said shield extending coextensive with and encircling the drum, said drum and shield being concentric with each other and having oppositely directed grooves, whereby the fluid engaging said grooves will cause the shield and drum to exert a drag on' each other to rotate the same with the ring gear.

2. In a transmissiondevice, a casing contain- 3 ing a fluid, a ring gear having an internal gear, a plurality of gears engaging the internal gear, countershafts fixed to said gears, smaller gears attached oppositely to the same on said countershafts, a cylindrical drum through which the countershaft passes, a tubular shaft upon which the ring gear and drum are rotatably mounted, a second internal gear, a .driven shaft to which said second internal gear is keyed, said smaller gears in mesh with the second internal gear, andv a cylindrical shield concentrically encircling the drum and extending coextensively therewith, said shield being fixed to the ring gear, said shield-t and drum having a plurality of grooves, where, by the fluid engaging said grooves will cause the shield drum and ring gear to rotateas a unit; 11

3. In a transmission device, a ring gear hav ing an internal gear and a shield attached thereto, a plurality of gears engaging the internalgear,

4 4. In a transmission device, a ring gear having an internal gear and a shield attached thereto, a plurality of gears engaging the internal gear, countershafts fixed to said gears, a cylindrical drum through which the countershafts pass, said drum and shield having concentric surfaces respectively provided with grooves oppositely directed, a driven shaft and the internal gear keyed to the shaft, means carried by the drum and engaging "the ring'ilgear andiit'helinternalgear to rotate the 'same and a shaft uponwhich the ring gear and drum are rotatably mounted, said shield being spaced from and encircling the drum to allowa lubricant to enter the grooves and produce a drag between the shield and the drum.

CHARLES SNYDER.

REFERENCES CITED The fol'lo'wing references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name a Date 1,466,320 West .Aug.-28, 1923 1,479,752. Smith Jan. 1, 1924 1,533,321 Morrissey Apn 4, 1925 1,646,020 Fottinger Oct. 18, 1927 1,659,833 Norrlin Feb; .21, 1928 2253,0011 Webb: et al." Aug. 19, 1941 

